Gobo

December 4, 2015

From soups to stews and drinks, gobo is extremely useful and delicious!

If you are looking for a new ingredient, gobo is an earthy flavorful ingredient to add to your own concoctions. Gobo is commonly used in Japanese cuisine and can be found in kimpira and pickled in rice vinegar and is served alongside sushi. Let’s take a look at this ingredient and a recipe for it!

What is Gobo?

Known as Burdock root, gobo is a long slender root that grows from one to three feet in length and looks like a common weed. This plant has long-stemmed large leaves and purple thistle flowers. The food is often hand-harvested and to prevent the root from breaking off into the ground. The thin skin is typically covered in dirt but is scrubbed clean. Burdock root is a rusty beige color that looks like a brown carrot. Its flesh is a crisp off-white contrast. This root is sweet and mild with an earthy taste similar to an artichoke. It is typically available all year long but peaks in the summer and fall months.

Braised Beef and Burdock Root

This recipe is rich in an earthy flavor and is perfectly balanced with tomatoes and wine. You will need:

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

2 pounds of boneless beef shanks, cubed

2 chopped onions

2 cloves of minced garlic

½ cup of red wine

3 whole ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1 gobo root, peeled and sliced

3 tablespoons of miso

2 bay leaves

Seasons your beef with salt and pepper. Then heat a Dutch oven until hot. Add the oil and a single layer of beef into the Dutch oven. Leave undisturbed until the beef has a brown crust. Flip and fry the other side until a brown crust forms. Lower the heat and transfer the beef to a plate. In the pot, add in the onions and garlic and sauté until wilted and turn brown. Add the wine and boil off the alcohol before adding the tomatoes, burdock, miso, and bay leaves. Cover with a lid and simmer the beef until extremely tender. Once the beef is tender, add salt and pepper to taste and serve with rice or pasta.

Gobo at Lotte Plaza Market

Lotte Plaza Market is your one stop shop for all of your Asian groceries. With more than 10 locations in Maryland and Virginia, this growing market is always expanding and opening new markets to better serve our customers. Opened since 1976, our goal has always been to provide the best customer service and groceries to our customers. For answers to all of your questions, email us at LottePlaza.com.